Combination door opener and grain chute for car dumpers



March 26, 1957 H. R. STRAIGHT 2,786,537

COMBINATION DOOR OPENER AND GRAIN CHUTE FOR CAR DUMPERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1954 March 26, 1957 I .H. R. STRAIGHT COMBINATION DOOR OPENER AND GRAIN CHUTE FOR CAR DUMPERS 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1954 .H. R. STRAIGHT 2,786,587

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 26, 1957 COMBINATION DOOR OPENER AND GRAIN CHUTE FOR CAR DUMPERS Filed Nov. 9, 1954 United States Patent Halver R. Straight, Adel, Iowa, assignor to Straight Engineering Co., Adel, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application November 9, I954, Serial No, 467,821

12. Claims. ((31. 214-4626) My invention relates to improvement in mechanism adapted to be used in connection with railway car dumpers for automatically opening the grain doors and for automatically conducting the grain from the opened door to a suitable conveyor hopper beneath the discharge opening of the grain car, simultaneously as the car is moved to: dumping position.

Hereinbefore when a railway box car is used for the transportation of freely fiowable material, such as grain, the lower part of the door opening is closed by detachable. and horizontally arranged grain doors formed of wooden planks, pressed fiber board, or reinforced fiber, having their ends secured to the door frame by nails, or other means. It the car is loaded with grain against the inner face of the grain door and it is desired to empty the car, the graindoor' is removed by a mechanically operated ram to which: lateral inward pressure is applied to the outer surface of the door to move it inwardly and loosen it from. the door jams, to an inclined position. The: inner face of the ram is usually provided with inwardly and laterally projecting prongs which enter the grain door and: retain it inv substantially it's origi n-al'shape, with space. between the lower edge of the grain door and the bottom of, the car to permit grain to-flowoutwardly as the car is tilted transversely. The above arrangement worked quite satisfactory for the removal of the Wooden doors, but very unsatisfactory when used to remove the fiber, or the: reinforced fiber grain doors, as the fiber-doors would become torn and shredded; The torn portions of the door'wouldflow out with the grain and cause trouble in the processing of the grain.

It is therefore an object. of my invention to provide ina railway dumping apparatus; improved means for removing. the fiber doors without becoming torn and shredded with thedoor held against being moved out with the grain. 1

Another object ofrny" invention: is to provid'e in a door opener, animprovedram, wherebyeither the wooden grain door or the fiber door may be": moved to open position.

Another object of, my inventioiris: to provide in th'at type of car dumpers employing a car supporting cradle adapted to rock in a vertical plane longitudinal of itself and mounted-totilt transversely of its longitudinal axis; improved means of simple, durable and inexpensive con struction for automatically causing; the: grain doors to be loosened from their supports and swung; inwardly to an openposition as thecar is tilted to itsinclined position, and to maintain. the doors in. said opened position during the entire time the car is in any of its elevated and long gitudi'nal rocked positions.

A further object of my invention isto providein. a car durnper of the type above described, improved means for conducting the grain from the opened doors to. a suitable conveyor hopper beneath the discharge side of the car when the car is in any of its tilted" or rocked positions without interference from the wind and other Weather conditions. s I

ice

A further object of my invention is to providein a combined chute and door opener employing a support and a door engaging element; improved means carried by the support for moving the door engaging element to and from its position engaging the door.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a grain chute and door opener for tiltable car dumping cradles; improved means for attaching the chute arid opener to the cradle whereby the tilting movement of the cradle will cause the chute and opener to be actuated.

My invention consists in the construction,arrangement and combination of the various parts ofthe device, 'whereby the objects contemplated and attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out inmy claims and illust'rated' in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved grain chute and door opener, showing the manner that they are attached to the dumper cradle, the car and cradle being shown in cross section, with the car in its normal horizontal position.

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. i with the car in its transverse horizontal tilted and dumping posit-ion.

Fig, 3 is a view looking substantially along: theline 3-3= of Fig. 2 showing the car tilted in a' direction lo'ngitu'dinally thereof with port-ions of the ends of the car being broken away. 7

Fig.- 4' is an: enlarged detail end elevation of the door opening ram and themanner the same is clamped to a fiber door before being moved to open position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged segmental side elevation; of the door opening ram mounted in the door frame of a box car.

Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 some ofthe parts being shown in various operative positi'onsin dotted lines. I g

Fig. 7 is a. sectional plan view taken on the line 7*-7 of Pig.v 6 with the movable element of the rampits dotted line: position.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views taken on the line 88 of'Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a. sectional View taken on the line 10-40 of Fig. 1. s

Fig. 1-1 is: an. enlarged detail sectional View of the reinforced typeof'fiber'door;

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3', I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate abox car having door openings-'11, and grain doors 12' of. theztype) formed of reinforced fiber, such: as paper. The car 10 b'eing's'up'ported by a cradle 13 formed of fabricated sheet metal and rectangular in cross section; having atop portion 1d, side members 16 and 17 and abottom 18, the'c'entra'l' portion of the bottom having an opening 19; The side member 16 is provided with a vertical slot'v 21, the side member 1 3 havin -'21 shorter slot 22 and a bracket 23.- ad'ja'cent t'o"saidslbt.

Extending through the-slots'I'2-1 and 22 1 have provided a square shaft 24 having one end pivoted to the Bracket 23 and the other en'd extending beyond the side membe 16" some distance, as illustrated" in Fig. 2. The shaft 24 is: provided with rounded portions mounted in bearings 26 and 27. T hebearings are mounted on the upper ends of a yoke 28 carried by" the upper end" of a vertical hydraulic piston 29; The piston 29 is slid'ably mounted in a fixed and vertically arranged cylinder 31 to" cause the shaft 24 to move in a vertical. path as the piston is moved vertically to cause the car 10' to he tilted transversely, as illustrated in Fig; 2, by the initialupward movementof the piston; A wheel 15 mounted on. the cradle and supported by a fixed track 20 servesas a pivot for the tilting cradle. Further upward movement of the piston causes the car to be rocked'in its longitudi'nal plane as illustrated in Fig; 3' in a manner more -side of the car.

- 3 fully disclosed in a copending application Serial No. 378,037, filed September 2, 1953.

My improved grain chute and door opener comprises a chute 30 including a rectangular side 32 having tapered end members 33. The lower ends of the ends 33 and the side 32 terminating in a hopper portion 34 including a bottom 36 having an upwardly and outwardly inclined portion 37 to provide a grain receiving portion. Each end of the bottom 36 terminates in a spout 38. The inner side of each spout 38 is pivotally mounted on the ends of a beam 39 fixed to the free end of the shaft 24, as illustrated in Fig. 3, thus providing means whereby the hopper and the chute mounted on said shaft will be raised and lowered simultaneously with the piston 29 and at the same time permitting it to rock in unison with the cradle and also at the same time permit the upper end of the chute 30 to oscillate slightly toward and from the car 10 in a manner hereinafter more fully set forth.

To accomplish the oscillation of the upper end of the cradle I have provided links 41, each having one of its ends connected to the cradle by means of pivots 42 and their other ends connected to corresponding outer ends of a shaft 43. Said shaft 43 is mounted in the ends of the hopper 34 with the links substantially in a horizontal position, when the car is in its normal horizontal position, with the chute inclined upwardly and outwardly and with the upper end of the chute spaced from the car a distance greater than the clearance distance required by the American Railway Engineering Association. The links 41 are moved to an inclined position at the time the cradle and car are moved to a tilted position as illustrated in Fig. 2, causing the upper end of the chute to be moved toward the car with the inner edges of the side members 33 near the adjacent The space between the car and said side edges are filled by means of yieldable members 44, such as rubber tubes, to make a tight joint between said car and the edges of said side members 33. The inner edge of the member 37 is moved to position beneath the lower edge of the car floor 46 at the time the chute is moved inwardly.

Pivotally connected to the lower end of each of the spouts 38 I have provided a telescopic grain conductor 47 by means of pins 48 slidably mounted in slots 49 in the ends of the spouts 38, best illustrated in Fig. 3. Each of the spouts 47 is provided with a slidable sleeve 51, each having a lateral flange 52 at its upper end. The flanges 52 being connected by chains 53 to limit their downward movement. The pivots 48 and the slots 49 provide limited universal movement for the upper ends of the spouts 47.

The lower portion of the door opening 11 is closed by the grain door 12 formed of reinforced fiber. The reinforcing members being of thin steel strips 56. The ends of the strips are nailed to the door jams 57. The lower edge of the door 12 is fixed to a reinforcing plank 58, the ends of which are also fixed to the door jams by nailing.

For automatically moving the door to open position as the car is tilted to its transverse inclined position, I have provided the following mechanism: Said mechanism including a door engaging ram 59 and link mechanism 41 for operating the ram.

The ram comprises a rectangular plate 61 (see Fig. having the upper corner of each of its edges provided with a notch 62. The ram being of a width slightly less than the width of the door opening and of a height substantially equal to the height of the grain door. The inner face of the ram is preferably provided with a plurality of prongs 63, more particularly when the ram is used in connection with the plank form of door.

For operating the ram I have provided on the outer face of the ram vertically arranged bars 64 each having a bracket 66 supporting a shaft 67 adapted to support the upper end of a pusher frame 68. The lower end of the frame 68 being mounted on the shaft 43 (see Fig. 3). The upper end of the pusher frame is pivotally connected to toggle joints 69 having their inner ends connected to the shaft 67 and their outer end connected to a shaft 71 mounted in the upper end of the side members 33. An operating lever 72 is fixed to the central portion of the shaft 71 by means of which the toggle joints may be actuated to swing them from their solid line position to their dotted line position, as illustrated in Fig. 1 and to move the ram from its inoperative position to position adjacent to the grain door, as illustrated in dotted and solid lines in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that the ram is firmly held against the grain door, as the car is tilted transversely the grain door will be moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 and resting on the bracket 73, to permit grain to flow under the door and around its ends and through the door opening.

When the fabric form of grain door is encountered, some trouble develops due to tearing of the fabric and due to the fact that sometimes one end of the reinforcing strips will pull loose before the other end, as illustrated in Fig. 9, and in a manner above referred to in the objects.

To overcome this difficulty I have provided the following mechanism: Mounted in brackets 74 carried by the bars 64 is a shaft 76 having fixed at each end a curved arm 77 mounted to swing in the corresponding notch 62 of the ram 59. Pivotally connected to the free end of the arm 77 is a clamp bar 78 having one of its faces provided with a tapered bar 79 with its sharp edge adjacent to the outer surface of the upper end of the grain door as illustrated in solid lines of Fig. 6, the lower end of the clamps 79 terminating some distance above the vertical center of the grain door. The upper end of each clamp being provided with a bracket 80 having a socket 81 for supporting a spring actuated block 82 having inwardly projecting prongs 83 on its inner surface. The central portion of the shaft 76 is provided with a gear pinion 84 to impart rotation thereto. A slidably mounted rack 86 provides means for rotating said shaft. Reciprocating movement is imparted to the rack by means of a hydraulically operated double acting piston rod 87. The inner face of the ram is provided with vertical bars 88 each having a groove 89, said bars 88 having their upper ends terminating at the vertical center of the ram 59 with the grooves 89 in vertical alignment with the sharp edges of the clamps 78.

The practical operation of my invention is as follows: Assuming that the car 10 and the grain chute are in their normal positions as shown in Fig. 1 with the door operating ram in dotted position. The operator then grasps the lever 72 and moves it to its solid line position causing the toggle joints 69 to be moved to their closed position with the ram 59 adjacent to the outer surface of the grain door 12, with the hopper beneath the floor 46. If the door is of the flexible fiber type, fluid under pressure is admitted to the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 92 to move the rod 87 downwardly and with it the rack. 86 causing the pinion 84 to rotate in a clockwise direction and in turn causing the arms 77 and the bars 79 to move inwardly to the dotted line position A of Fig. 6, and also that of Fig. 7, with the ends of the upper ends of the door 54 loosened from the jams 57. This inward pressure of the bars 79 will cause the central portion of the door 12 to bulge outward and in turn the loosened ends of the door to pull toward each other to such an extent that the bars 78 and 79 will slide past said loosened ends, to dotted line position B (Fig. 6) with the sharp edges of the bars 79 against the inner face of the door 12 and with the inner face of the block 82 against the inner face of the strip 58, further outward pressure applied to the bars causes the thin fiber door and its reinforcing strips 56 to be dented in o heg'rooves i (see E sth the-prong 83 i bed e t e s r p 58,. e doori at his ime fir-tn.- ly clamped to the r m 59 (see Figs. 4, 8. and; 9).. Further tilting mo ement of the car will cause the. ram o be mo ed nwar ly nd with it the. d r. 1.2 finally moved. to the po i i n il us rated in Fig- 2,; with the ram, 5 resting on thebracket 73. The tilting movement; of the cradle causes the links 4.1 to be inclined and the. upper end of the chute to be m ve inwar ly toward the. car with the yieldable member 44 sealing; the space. between the. side m mb r-sod nd the car. 7

It, willv therefore beseen that l have provided. a grain chute. endear door opener of simple construction adapted to be used in, connec o with car. d mpers which. i utomatically operated by the tilting androcking movements car supporting cradle. And. also a door opener adapted to. be, used. with. theordinary pla k. grain doors in, which case, the; clamp. mechanism; is retained in an inoperative P tion, illus ra ed. in. o i line n F g, And. fur her a dooropcner mechanism. particularly adapted, to. be opera'ted on the fiber type of doors wherein the door may be loosened from the .door jams without tearing and shredding it into smaller pieces. It will also be seen that I have provided a grain conveying chute; which the grain or other flowable. material.- rnay be. conducted to a r cei in hoppe mo n di ene h h gr und surface into a substantially closed chute and.to,nducting pipes, so that the material is. not affected by the elements of the weather. My improved constructionalso provides] means whereby the large, amount of dust which, usual-1y accompanics materials. to be unloaded, may be conducted by any air exhausting mechanism now in. common use.

I claim;

1. In. combination, a vertically movable lift device, a car supporting cradle carried by said lift device, mounted to tilt transversely and to-rock; longitudinally by upward movement of said lift, said cradle being adaptedito, sup,- p r a ra l ay ar ha ng a grain. door p n n in one side, an upright grain chute having one. side open and opposite said grain door, a hopper having a receiving side at the lower end of said chute for receiving grain, from said door opening as the car is moved to its transverse tilted position, the width of the chute being equal to or greater than the Width of the door opening, each end of the hopper terminatingin a discharge spout, means pivoting the lower end of said hopper to said lift. to permit it to rock in unison; with said cradle, and the upper end of said chute to oscillate toward and from said car with the receiving side of the hopper beneath thelower end of said door opening when: the can istransversely inclined; and link meansv operatively connecting said cradle and chute, to actuate the upper end of said, chute.

2. In combination, a vertically movable lift device, a car supporting, cradle carried by saidtlifi', device,.mounted to tilt transversely and to. rock longitudinally by" upward movement of said lift, said. cradle, being adapted, to support a railway car having agrainv door opening in one side, an upright, grain chute having one side open and opposite said grain door, a hopper havinga receiving. side at the lower end of said chute for, receiving grain from said door opening as the car. is moved to its, transverse tilted position, the width of the chute being equal to or greater than the widthof the door opening, each, end of the hopper terminatingin, a discharge spout, means pivoting the lower end of said hopper to said lift to permit it to rock in unison with said cradle, andthe upper end of said chute to oscillate toward and from; said car with the receiving side of the hopper beneath thelower end:v of said door opening when the car is transversely inclined, and link means operatively connecting said. cradle and chute, actuated by the tilting movement of the cradle. for oscillating the upper end of said, chute, and, upright telescopic tubular conveyors each. having its. upper end, pivoted to the lower, end of a correspondingdischarge spout,

6 3-,- In. combinat on, a vertically mo lif i e, a Qarsupportingcradle carried. by, said lift device, mounted to tilt transve rselyandto rock longitudinally. by upward movement of saidliftr said cradle being adapted to support.. a railway car. having a grain door opening'in, one side, a grain chute comprising a substantially rectangular back. por ion'and tapered and members, the lower ends of ai chute term nating in a hopper having a bottom with its forward edge terminating. in an upwardly inclined portion reform areceiving, edge, each end. of the bottom including a'discharge spout, means connecting the lower endoi said chute. tosaid lift to permit. the chute, with. its open Side opposite the. door opening, to rock in unison with the rocking-movement of said cradle and also. to permit oscillation of the. upper end. of said chute toward. and from, saidcar, means. operative-1y connecting the chute to said cradle, to cause; the chute to move toward. the car as, the cradle is tilted to its. transverse. inclined position, with the edges ofsaid end members adjacent to the sides of the, car and with the receiving edge. of said hopper be death the door opening and means. for operating the chute to rock in unisoriwith, the Cradle.

4... For use with; car dumping apparatus which includes a vertically movable. lift device, a cradle. adapted to s ppor arailwav car. having. a. door opening in one side thereof,. andmeans. movably mounting said, cradle on said lift. device. for. rocking, movement. relative thereto, a grain. chute. comprising a. substantially rectangular back p r ion an apered. end. membe Y eldablc sealin mea s mounted. on. the, free. edge of each. tapered end member, thelower ends of. said chute terminating in. a hopper having a, bottom with. its forward edge. terminating in an. upwardly and. outwardly inclined portion to form a receiving, edge, each. endv of the bottom including a discharge spout, means. connecting the lower end of aid. chu e to, Said lift to permit the chute, with its. open side. opposite. the door opening, to rock inun-ison with the rocking movement of said. cradle and also. to permit oscillation of the upper end of said chute toward. and from said can means. operatively connecting the chute to said cradle to. causethe chute to. move toward the car as the cradle is tilted to, its transverse inclined position, with the sealing edges of said end, members, adjacent to the sides of the car and with the receiving edge of said hopper beneath the, door opening, and. means. operating the chute to rock in unison. with. the. cradle.

- 5. In a car. dumping; apparatusincluding a: cradle substantially rectangular in cross section. having each side provided, with. av vertical, slot midway between its ends, a. shaft mounted insaid slots near their lower ends, means pivoting, one. end'of said. shaft to itsv corresponding side rncmben. theother. end. of said shaft. extending beyond its corresponding side. member, means pivotally and hori- Zoutally mounting. the. shaft. to the upper end of said piston, whereby, the pivoted: side of the cradle will be elevatedby the. initial, upward. movement of said piston with the, top-end, of the slot. of thelast side member resting on said shaft with, the cradle. inclined transversely substantially 20 to the horizontal, said cradle being adapted to support a railway car having a door opening in one side, a grain chute for receiving grain from said door opening when the car is in its inclined position comprisingan upright side. portion having tapered end portions their lower ends terminating in a hopper spaced from said cradle with its lower end pivoted on an axis substantially parallel with the side of said cradle, means supported by the free end of said shaft pivotally connecting the lower end of saidhopper to said shaft, and links having one, of their ends pivoted tosaid cradle and their other end pivotally connected-to said side members at points intermediate their ends whereby the upper end of said, side member wilt be. oscillated toward and from hec r. s he cradle. is; tilted transversely-.

6. In a car: dumping apparatus including: a cradle substantially rectangular incross, section. having: sides each provided with a vertical slot midway between its ends, a shaft mounted in said slots near their lower ends. means pivoting one end of said shaft to its corresponding side member, the other end of said shaft extending beyond its corresponding side member, means pivotally and horizontally mounting the shaft to the upper end of said piston, whereby the pivoted side of the cradle will be elevated by the initial upward movement of said piston with the top end of the slot of the last member resting on said shaft with the cradle inclined transversely, substantially 20 to the horizontal, said cradle being adapted to support a railway car having a door opening in one side, a grain chute for receiving grain from said door opening when the car is in its inclined position I comprising, an upright side portion having tapered end portions their lower ends terminating in a hopper spaced from said cradle, a pivot beam fixedly mounted on the free end of said shaft and parallel with said cradle, means pivoting the lower end of said hopper to the ends of said beam, and links having one of their ends pivoted to said cradle and their other ends pivotally connected to said side members at points intermediate their ends whereby the upper end of said side member will be oscillated toward and from the car as the cradle is tilted transversely.

7. In combination, a vertically movable lift device, a car supporting cradle carried by said lift device, mounted to tilt transversely and to rock longitudinally by upward movement of said lift, said cradle being adapted to support a railway car having grain door openings, one in each side, an upright grain chute having one side open and opposite one of said grain door openings, means pivoting the lower end of the grain chute to said lift to provide for vertical and rocking movement of the grain chute in unison with the movement of said cradle, so that the upper end of said chute is oscillatable toward and from said car, and means operatively connecting said cradle to said chute to cause the upper end of the chute to move to and from the car as the cradle is tilted transversely.

8. In a device of the class described, a door opener ram adapted to be moved into and out of a door opening, and into contact with the outer face of the lower portion of a flexible grain door, said ram comprising a substantially rectangular plate of a width slightly less than that of the door opening, the inner face of said plate having a vertical groove near each of its side edges, a co-acting clamp having a beveled edge for each of said grooves, means mounting each of said clamps to swing inwardly and downwardly from a vertical position adjacent to the outer surface of the upper portion of the side edges of the grain door to positions opposite said grooves, to first engage and loosen the ends of the upper portion of the grain door, and then to swing past said loosened ends as the clamps move inwardly and downwardly and to clamp the lower portion of the flexible door between the clamps and their corresponding grooves, and means for moving the ram inwardly and upwardly from said door opening.

9. In a device of the class described, a door opener ram adapted to be moved into and out of a grain door opening of a box car and into contact with the outer face of a flexible grain door, having a reinforcing strip at its bottom edge, comprising a substantially rectangular plate of a width slightly less than the door opening, a shaft mounted on said plate near the vertical center of said door, an arm fixed to said shaft near the ends of said plate, an upright clamp bar connected to the free end of said arm for limited pivotal movement, a yieldable gripper block fixed to the upper end of said clamp bar, mechanically operated means for imparting rotation to said shaft, to swing the clamping bars inwardly and downwardly to grip the lower portion of the flexible door between the clamp bars and their corresponding portions of the inner face of said plate with the reinforcing strip v 8 between the gripper block and said plate, and means for moving the ram inwardly from the door opening.

10. In a device of the class described, a door opener ram adapted to be moved into and out of a door opening of a box car and in contact with the outer face of a flexible grain door, comprising a substantially rectangular plate of a width slightly less than the door opening, and of a height substantially equal to the height of the grain door, the upper corners of the side edges of said plate each having a notch, a shaft mounted on said plate near the lower edges of said notches, an arm fixed to said shaft opposite each notch, aclamp bar pivoted to the free end of each-of said arms for'limited pivotal movement and mounted normally in a corresponding notch, mechanically operated means for imparting rotation to said shaft, to swing the clamping bar inwardly and downwardly, to first engage the ends of upper portion of the grain door, to loosen the ends of the door as the clamp bar is moved inwardly and downwardly, to grip the lower portion of the flexible door between the clamp bars and their corresponding portions of the inner face of said plate and means for moving the ram inwardly from the lower edge of the door opening.

11. In a device of the class described, a door opener ram adapted to be moved into and out of a door opening, and into contact with the outer face of the lower portion of a flexible grain door, said ram comprising a substantially rectangular plate of a width slightly less than the door opening, the inner face of said plate having a vertical groove near each of its side edges, a coacting clamp having a beveled edge for each of said grooves, a rotatably mounted shaft supporting said clamps to swing inwardly and downwardly from a vertical position adjacent to the outer surface of the upper portion of the side edges of the grain door to positions opposite said grooves, as the shaft is rotated, to first engage the ends of the upper portion of the grain door, to loosen said ends, as the clamps move inwardly and downwardly, and to clamp the lower portion of the flexible door between the clamps and their corresponding grooves, a pinion gear on said shaft, a rack bar operatively connecting said pinion, hydraulic means for imparting reciprocating movement to said rack bar, and means for moving the ram inwardly and upwardly from the lower end. of said door opening.

12. In a device of the class described, a vertically movable lift device, a car supporting cradle carried by said lift device, mounted to tilt transversely and to rock longitudinally by upward movement of said lift, said cradle being adapted to support a railway car having a grain door opening and a flexible grain door in said opening, an upright grain chute having one side open and positioned opposite said grain door opening, means pivoting the lower end of the grain chute to said lift to permit said chute to move vertically and to rock in unison with the movement of said cradle, with the upper end of said chute to oscillate toward and from said car, and means operatively connecting said cradle to said chute to cause the upper end of the chute to move toward and from the car as the cradle is tilted transversely, means for opening said grain door, comprising an upright door opening ram adapted to be moved into and out of said door opening, and into contact with the outer face of the lower portion of said flexible grain door, said ram comprising a substantially rectangular plate of a width slightly less than that of the door opening, a horizontal shaft mounted on said plate near the vertical center of said door, an arm fixed to said shaft near the side edges of said plate, a clamp bar pivoted to the free end of each of said arms for limited pivotal movement and mounted in an upright position in a plane common to said plate, mechanically operated means for imparting rotation to said shaft, to swing said arms and clamp bars inwardly and downwardweeps? 1y, a pusher frame, means pivotally connecting one end of the pusher frame to said ram near the lower end of said ram with the pusher frame inclined downwardly and outwardly, means pivotally connecting the lower end of said frame to said chute intermediate its upper and lower ends, means supported by the upper end of said chute for moving the ram toward and from the upper end of chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Richardson Mar. 9, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Apr. 25, 1930 

